Lanchester Motor Company was founded by the brothers Frederick, George and Frank Lanchester at Armourer Mills, Birmingham, Great Britain, in 1899, under the name Lanchester Engine Company Ltd. The first Lanchester, with a single cylinder 1306 cc engine was brought to road as early as 1896, but only in 1901 were the Lanchesters sold to the public. In 1904, the company went bankrupt but was reorganised under the name Lanchester Motor Company. After WWI Lanchesters became luxury cars, rivalling with Rolls Royce, although the company also built a smaller car to increase sales. In 1931, due to financial difficulties, the company merged with the Daimler. This dictated the death of the brand once the Daimler was favouring the models bearing its name. Lanchester was discontinued in 1956.